Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Douglas

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,528 in Douglas.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,602 in Medellin versus $3,890 in Douglas.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,188 in Medellin versus $5,251 in Douglas.

Living in Medellin costs roughly 60% less than in Douglas, driven mainly by Eating Out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 24% below, Douglas is 88% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 COP 20.8K

$29.52 IMP 22.02

-79.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 COP 116.3K

$108 IMP 80.3

-69.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.23 COP 25.2K

$10.00 IMP 7.46

-27.70%

Cappuccino

$1.63 COP 5,687

$5.50 IMP 4.10

-70.36%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 COP 3,821

$2.85 IMP 2.13

-61.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.73 COP 2,548

$1.97 IMP 1.47

-62.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.74 COP 6,065

$6.79 IMP 5.07

-74.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.23 COP 11.3K

$6.17 IMP 4.60

-47.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 COP 3,662

$1.96 IMP 1.46

-46.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.29 COP 4,515

$2.03 IMP 1.51

-36.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.32 COP 4,617

$1.99 IMP 1.48

-33.67%

Eggs

$2.27 COP 7,927

$4.19 IMP 3.13

-45.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$4.35 COP 15.2K

$6.68 IMP 4.99

-34.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.88 COP 20.5K

$8.27 IMP 6.17

-28.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.61 COP 30.0K

$11.81 IMP 8.81

-27.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 COP 7,844

$2.34 IMP 1.75

-3.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.07 COP 3,733

$1.78 IMP 1.33

-39.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 COP 5,322

$2.61 IMP 1.95

-41.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 COP 4,964

$2.97 IMP 2.21

-52.19%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,084

$2.41 IMP 1.79

-51.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 COP 4,077

$2.48 IMP 1.85

-52.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.89 COP 3,096

$1.64 IMP 1.22

-45.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 COP 3,146

$2.00 IMP 1.49

-55.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.25 COP 7,837

$22.74 IMP 16.96

-90.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.04 COP 38.5K

$11.91 IMP 8.88

-7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 COP 3,977

$4.13 IMP 3.08

-72.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 COP 8,301

$3.67 IMP 2.74

-35.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.84 COP 2,916

$3.04 IMP 2.27

-72.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.95 COP 146.4K

$77.1 IMP 57.5

-45.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 COP 4,912

$5.29 IMP 3.95

-73.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.90 COP 6,634

$1.48 IMP 1.10

28.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.75 COP 27.0K

$82.7 IMP 61.7

-90.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.01 COP 3,509

$2.17 IMP 1.62

-53.46%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.6K COP 61.4M

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

-49.65%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$26.5K COP 92.5M

$34.9K IMP 26.0K

-24.12%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$83.7 COP 292.1K

$308 IMP 230

-72.82%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.45 COP 33.0K

$39.14 IMP 29.20

-75.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$24.11 COP 84.1K

$71.2 IMP 53.1

-66.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$25.31 COP 88.3K

$62.7 IMP 46.76

-59.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.14 COP 66.8K

$20.00 IMP 14.92

-4.30%

Cinema Ticket

$4.10 COP 14.3K

$13.73 IMP 10.25

-70.14%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$312 COP 1.1M

$1,297 IMP 968

-75.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,993 COP 20.9M

$32.4K IMP 24.1K

-81.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.0 COP 202.6K

$96.3 IMP 71.8

-39.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.56 COP 113.6K

$40.94 IMP 30.54

-20.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$99.6 COP 347.7K

$121 IMP 90.5

-17.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 COP 378.8K

$78.3 IMP 58.4

38.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 COP 1.7M

$1,243 IMP 927

-61.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$379 COP 1.3M

$1,115 IMP 831

-65.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.9M

$2,131 IMP 1,589

-60.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$723 COP 2.5M

$1,901 IMP 1,418

-61.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,840 COP 9.9M

$4,042 IMP 3,015

-29.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,223 COP 4.3M

$3,090 IMP 2,305

-60.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$541 COP 1.9M

$3,029 IMP 2,259

-82.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

13.43

3.66

266.94%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: June 8, 2026

Last update for Douglas: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Medellin and $1,243 in Douglas. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Douglas pays 460% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $33.00 in Medellin vs $108 in Douglas for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $190 vs $304 per month, with Medellin cheaper across the board.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Douglas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medellin is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 149% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Douglas earns 460% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $482 in Medellin versus $1,243 in Douglas. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Medellin versus $2,528 in Douglas – a 149% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Medellin runs roughly 84% less than in Douglas. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,017 in Medellin versus $2,528 in Douglas, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Medellin but tight or insufficient in Douglas. The gap between the two cities makes Medellin the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Medellin is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Douglas, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Douglas are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Medellin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 149% less than in Douglas. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.